Episode Details

In this episode of The Gravity Well podcast, you hear about coal mining’s impact on Southern Alberta with guest Chris Spearman, former Mayor of Lethbridge. Spearman highlights the risks of coal mining, including selenium contamination and water scarcity, which threaten the region’s agricultural industry and water supply. Despite widespread public opposition and scientific evidence against coal mining, the Alberta government continues to support it, raising concerns about economic and environmental sustainability. The episode underscores the need for public engagement and government accountability in protecting your water, an essential resource.

Hosted by Jenny Yeremiy, The Gravity Well delves into complex issues to foster understanding and improve the world.

Introduction to Chris Spearman

Alex:

Welcome to The Gravity Well Podcast with Alex and Jenny here. Here, you break down heavy ideas with us to understand their complexities and connections. Our mission is to work through your dilemmas with you in conversation and process making our world a better place for all.

Jenny:

We acknowledge that we live on the traditional territories of treaties, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10. The ancestral homelands of diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Metis. Peoples whose ancestors have walked this land since time immemorial and whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant communities. We pay respect to indigenous people through our ethical relationship building efforts. Our community agreement asks for genuine conversations, real hearts, open minds, and different perspectives in conflict. Let’s rely on our six W system and live participant feedback. What matters most is finding common ground.

Alex:

We dedicate this podcast to our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and all future generations. The gravity well is on YouTube and streaming wherever you get your podcasts. Join us at thegravitywell.net.

Jenny:

Hello, good afternoon, Chris. Thank you for being here, Chris. I’ve had the opportunity to meet Chris many times now in our battle against coal, coal exploration in the eastern slopes. Chris, I first met in Fort McLeod. We were both speaking, well, you were speaking primarily about water for food, and I’ll let you get into it, you can explain a bit about water for food and your background for everyone. I know that you were the former mayor of Lethbridge, somebody representing a big population in Alberta. Obviously Lethbridge is right in the fray of this problem. I’ll let you get into that. Today we’re just going to walk through, Chris has crafted nine questions for the premier that we’re going to walk through today. And I’m glad that the way that Chris has done this and it frames all of the issues from those nine perspectives. I’m going to stop talking for a second. If you wouldn’t mind introducing yourself first, Chris, and then we’ll take off from there.

Chris:

Okay. My name is Chris Spearman. I first came to Southern Alberta in 1981. I’ve worked for one of the food processing industries in the industrial park in Lethbridge since 1981. And early on I recognized that food processors needed to have an advocate group and an umbrella group. And they helped form the Industrial Association of Southern Alberta, which was to promote economic conditions to support and encourage more investment of industries and specifically food processors in southern Alberta. And then later on we got together and decided that we needed to have an independent organization in the city of Lethbridge to promote economic development. We were one of the founding members and I was on the executive of economic development, Lethbridge, whose primary purpose was to encourage private investment and support the agricultural industry. Every time you at